WHY DO LARGE U.S. BANKS OUTPERFORM THEIR EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS? Available to Purchase

This paper examines the strategies and financial ratios of the largest U.S. and European banks. Why are bank profitability ratios in the U.S. and U.K. vastly superior to those in Germany and Switzerland? Is this related to accounting, tax, economic, or regulatory differences, uses of funds, or management quality?